When a medical professional perceives a risk of cancer or other abnormality in an organ of a patient, the medical professional may take a tissue sample from the organ for analysis by a pathologist. In some known biopsy processes, the tissue sample is placed in a tissue sample cassette and the cassette is labeled, such as with a barcode or serial number, and associated with the patient. Depending on the specific procedure as well as on the type of tissue sample—the tissue sample can be placed on or in a tissue sample-receiving matrix in an attempt to maintain orientation and physical integrity of the tissue sample, and both the matrix and tissue sample are placed within the cassette. The cassette and tissue sample are transferred to a histopathology lab that is usually off-site from the location where the tissue sample was taken.
The histopathology lab receives the cassette and tissue sample and processes the tissue sample for microscopic evaluation. In some histopathology procedures, the tissue sample may be chemically fixed, dehydrated, embedded in paraffin wax material, and molded to form a paraffin wax block including the tissue sample. The paraffin wax block and tissue sample therein may be sliced into thin sections with a microtome. The thin sections may be positioned on glass slides for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. The pathologist may attempt to identify and locate abnormal tissue, such as cancerous cells, in the tissue sample. The results of the histopathological examination of the tissue sample may be communicated back to the medical professional and patient.